If you’re trying to get in shape this summer, it’s time to leave the treadmill behind and head to the pool. Instead of running on a conveyor belt, you can make water aerobics your go-to exercise this season, helping tone and define your entire body while also staying cool.
When you’re in the water, you have to use almost every party of your body, not just your legs and your core. From underwater jumping jacks to running in place, there are so many ways to get your heart pumping in the pool. Not to mention that water aerobics are also a refreshing exercise that helps you beat the heat and spend more time outdoors. So, hop off the treadmill and start using water aerobics to get the summer body you’ve been dreaming about.
1. Helps Build Endurance
Moving your body around in the water takes a lot of energy and muscle. That’s because water is denser than air. When you’re walking, running or riding a bike, your body has to work to resist gravity every time you lift your leg off the ground. With water aerobics, your body must work even harder. In fact, the harder you push your body through the water, the more resistance you will feel.
2. Gets Your Heart Pumping
Swimming and water aerobics are some of the best cardio workouts around. Water-based exercises force your body to work much harder than it would on land, which means your cardiovascular system is going to feel the burn. Cardio helps improve your overall health and promotes weight loss, as your body has to burn more calories than it would if you were just going for a walk.
3. No Equipment Necessary
You don’t need a lot of fancy equipment to start water aerobics. There are many simple exercises you can do in the pool without much experience or training. You can try simple moves like jogging in place, lifting dumbbells or lifting and stretching different parts of your body.
Backyard pools aren’t just about splashing around on a hot summer day. You can transform your home’s pool into your own personal gym. You can use different parts of your pool to try new types of poses and moves in the water. You can hang onto the pool rails or swimming pool ladders as you kick around in the water, helping you tone and shape your leg muscles. Or you can try using foam pool floats to spend some time treading water in the deep end.
4. Eases Joint Pain
Water aerobics aren’t just for the young and physically able. They’re also great for those struggling with joint pain and arthritis. It’s a low-impact exercise, which means you don’t have to worry about doing a number on your body’s joints. The water forces you to work nearly every muscle in your body without overexerting your joints. While running on the treadmill every day can take a toll on your knees, damaging the cartilage over time, water aerobics can actually help relieve joint pain. The water’s buoyancy reduces the impact on your body’s joints. You can get a great workout without constantly stressing your joints. In fact, aqua-aerobic therapy has also been shown to help older adults with balance and control.
You don’t have to be in great shape to start water aerobics. Just take it slow and let the water work your body naturally. You can ease into this new exercise by trying simple movements like swinging your legs back and forth, pushing your arms through the water and stretching in the water.
5. Helps with Stress Relief
Putting your fitness goals aside, water aerobics can also help you improve your mood and reduce stress. People report enjoying water-based physical activity more than land-based exercises. And studies have shown that water-based exercises can improve mental health and decrease anxiety and depression.
Getting active in the water is a natural way to curb your negative mood. You’ll also get a chance to spend more time outdoors and use your body in all kinds of interesting ways.
6. Promotes Weight Loss
Expect to burn a lot of calories when you’re doing water aerobics, the key to losing weight. Your body needs to lose about 3,500 calories before you can drop a pound of fat, so you’ll want to incorporate some cardio into your daily routine if you want to be calorie deficient. If you live on 2,000 calories a day, you can use water aerobics to cut back your daily calorie intake.
A person weighing around 125 pounds can expect to lose about 240 calories from one hour of water aerobics. At this rate, you’ll be dropping pounds before you know it. Don’t forget to eat a healthy, protein-filled diet when engaging in regular physical activity.
7. Encourages More Time Outside
If you’re serious about losing weight and getting in shape this summer, you might hate the idea of spending the summer indoors at your local gym. It’s the warmest time of the year, so why not get your daily dose of exercise outdoors? Whether you own an above ground pool or live near a community pool, you can spend hours having fun in the water while meeting your fitness goals at the same time. Don’t spend your summer inside staring at the TV, racking up miles on the treadmill. Get outside and enjoy the comfort of working out at home with water aerobics.
There are so many reasons to make water aerobics your main summer cardio workout. This is your chance to spend some quality time outdoors and, in the water, so it’s time to turn your pool into a fitness hub. You can build muscle, lose weight and improve your state of mind just by using your body in the pool — no equipment or previous experience required. You can easily find videos and tutorials online that show you how to do some fun moves in the water. Get ready for summer with water aerobics!
Hey, nice aerobics idea. I really love this. I also do aerobics but never did anything like this. Now, I really want to do this ????
Thanks for such a nice idea!!!